GeoForum 2026 in Charlotte, NC
HUESKER North America hosted GeoForum 2026 on April 16–17 in Charlotte, North Carolina, coinciding with the company’s 35th anniversary in North America. Organized in collaboration with the ASCE North Carolina Section, the two-day event brought together engineers, consultants, contractors, academics, public agencies, and industry partners for technical presentations, discussion, and networking focused on geosynthetics and geotechnical engineering applications.
The first day of the event was held at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and featured a full technical program centered on infrastructure design, reinforced soil structures, environmental applications, and current challenges in geotechnical engineering. Throughout the day, attendees participated in presentations and technical discussions led by professionals from industry, consulting, manufacturing, and academia.
The program included presentations from George Koerner (Geosynthetic Institute), Jerry DiMaggio (HNTB), Jorge Zornberg (The University of Texas at Austin), Oliver Detert, F. Erol Guler (George Mason University), V. Vinay Kumar, John Myers, and Juliana Beauchamp. Topics covered included basal reinforcement of embankments on soft soils, geotextile-encased columns, load transfer platforms, reinforced soil structures, transportation infrastructure applications, and field case studies demonstrating the use of geosynthetics in challenging site conditions.
Several sessions focused on the long-term performance and design considerations associated with geosynthetic solutions, highlighting both research developments and practical implementation in the field. Presenters shared experiences from transportation, environmental, and civil infrastructure projects, providing attendees with opportunities to compare approaches, discuss project challenges, and exchange technical perspectives.
Participating engineers were eligible to receive professional development hours (PDHs) through the event.
In addition to the technical program, GeoForum 2026 included dedicated time for networking and informal discussion among attendees, speakers, and organizers. A reception held following the sessions allowed participants to continue conversations and build professional connections across different areas of the geotechnical and geosynthetics industries.
On the second day, a group of attendees visited HUESKER’s manufacturing facility in Shelby, North Carolina. The plant tour provided insight into the production processes, manufacturing technologies, and quality control procedures used in the fabrication of high-strength geosynthetic materials for infrastructure and environmental applications. Attendees also had the opportunity to observe how technical concepts discussed during the conference are connected to material manufacturing and field performance requirements.
GeoForum is intended to become an annual event dedicated to technical education, professional exchange, and collaboration within the geosynthetics and geotechnical engineering community. Through initiatives such as GeoForum, HUESKER North America continues to support industry dialogue, technical advancement, and knowledge sharing across the infrastructure and environmental sectors. For more information about next editions please visit www.geoforum.us
HUESKER North America would also like to extend special recognition to Rob Price and the ASCE North Carolina Section for their support and collaboration in helping make GeoForum 2026 possible.